Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Self-Confident Eagle Demon

Mm. Yu Xiyue nodded in acknowledgment.

She held out the jade ring in her hand, waiting for the hawk demon to take it.

This time, however, the hawk demon drew back.

After all, every demon in the Demon Realm had been taught since childhood never to go to the cultivation world, or they would be slaughtered and eaten.

That was why the entrance to the Demon Realm had never needed guards.

Cultivators disliked the smell of the Demon Realm and rarely came, while demons feared being killed and did not dare go out.

On the surface, the two realms seemed to exist in relative peace.

But inwardly, they rejected each other completely.

Fortunately, at that moment, Green Sandalwood arrived and knocked on the door from outside.

Junyang glanced at the hawk demon, then went to open the door for Green Sandalwood.

Green Sandalwood was puzzled to find the hawk demon there as well, because it ought to have been his patrol time.

By now, the hawk demon was drenched in sweat.

He had discovered that Demon King Green Sandalwood was colluding with cultivators. Would he be silenced for it?

As the turmoil in his mind grew fiercer and fiercer, the hawk demon suddenly sprang to his feet and tried to flee.

Yu Xiyue bound him at once with the Cloud-Breathing Silk.

Green Sandalwood grew even more confused.

“What happened?”

Yu Xiyue let out a helpless sigh and set the jade ring on the table.

Bound fast, and with his mouth muffled by the Cloud-Breathing Silk as well, the hawk demon could only make a series of muffled whimpers.

Junyang explained the matter to Green Sandalwood.

Green Sandalwood strode over to the hawk demon and smacked him across the face.

“What are you running for? Do you really think you could get away?”

The moment he said that, the hawk demon became even more terrified; tears nearly spilled from his eyes.

Even Junyang felt like kicking Green Sandalwood himself. He had been told to soothe him, not threaten him.

“Talk to him properly.”

Junyang shot Green Sandalwood a glare.

In the Demon Realm, Green Sandalwood had never been scolded before; even his master had never spoken sharply to him.

He coughed awkwardly, then softened his tone and explained patiently to the hawk demon, “The disappearance of our great demons is connected to a magical artifact from the cultivation world. You know what a magical artifact is, right?”

The hawk demon nodded timidly, his eyes shining with tears.

“So these two seniors came to help us find the villain who is using that artifact to harm the Demon Realm. You understand that, yes?”

The hawk demon nodded again.

Green Sandalwood went on, “The two seniors are not going to do anything to you. If they wanted to kill you, would you still be alive now?”

The hawk demon nodded blankly once more.

“Hm?” Green Sandalwood glared at him.

Only then did the hawk demon realize his mistake and hurriedly began shaking his head.

Satisfied, Green Sandalwood smiled and continued coaxing him. “So, can you promise not to get this worked up again?”

After a moment’s hesitation, the hawk demon nodded.

Only then did the Cloud-Breathing Silk uncover his mouth.

“Boss... you really haven’t betrayed our Demon Realm, have you?”

Green Sandalwood angrily kicked him again. “Betrayed your grandmother’s leg!”

The hawk demon pursed his lips. With those tearful eyes, he looked deeply aggrieved. “My grandmother died five hundred years ago.”

Green Sandalwood clenched his fists in exasperation. If Junyang had not been watching, he truly would have beaten him first and spoken later.

The Cloud-Breathing Silk released the hawk demon and flew back to coil around Yu Xiyue’s arm.

Yu Xiyue pushed the jade ring on the table toward him again, sliding it to the hawk demon’s side.

“Take this.”

The hawk demon looked at the jade ring, whose spiritual aura was so dense it was almost frightening, and still hesitated. “Lady Boss, what is this thing?”

Green Sandalwood snatched it up and stuffed it into the hawk demon’s hand. “If something feels wrong, crush it at once. The seniors will come to your side immediately and save you.”

The hawk demon blinked his little eyes and curiously squeezed it. The thing felt cool to the touch, yet not unpleasant in the least; on the contrary, it brought a sense of comfort through his whole body. It was very strange.

“Crush it?”

He made as if to do so immediately, and Green Sandalwood kicked him again.

“I said crush it when you’re in danger, you fool demon!”

“Boss, I’m a hawk demon...”

Green Sandalwood could not be bothered arguing with him over that, and turned to the serious matter instead. “Did you really sense danger?”

By now, the hawk demon had calmed considerably. He nodded hard.

“Really. Lately, every time night falls, the feeling becomes especially strong. I’m certain that within the next day or two, something is going to happen.”

“I’ll trust you for now. Be careful yourself. I’ll keep an eye on you too.”

“Yes, sir.” The hawk demon tucked the jade ring at his waist, then asked again to make sure, “Bosses, you’ll definitely come save me at once, right?”

“We will,” Yu Xiyue said with certainty.

Wearing the expression of a man about to die heroically, the hawk demon let out a long, deep breath.

He had no family to worry about, only himself alone.

He had no attachments, only one small wish.

So he shamelessly asked Green Sandalwood, “Demon King Boss, if... if I really die unfortunately, could you bury a few more demon stones at my grave every month?”

“If you’re dead, what would burying demon stones do?” Green Sandalwood complained, then let out a sigh. “How many?”

The hawk demon raised his fist and counted on his clawed fingers one by one. At last he said with certainty, “Ten. Ten will be enough.”

At least he was not greedy.

“Fine,” Green Sandalwood agreed, then added, “If you survive, I’ll give you twenty every month.”

“Really?” The hawk demon flapped his wings excitedly twice, making all the ornaments in the room tremble. “I guarantee I won’t die!”

Green Sandalwood looked at him helplessly. “Go make your preparations.”

“Yes!”

The hawk demon strode out of the inn full of fighting spirit, every step brimming with confidence.

He looked less like someone heading off to serve as bait than someone on his way to a promotion.

Green Sandalwood stood at the window watching the hawk demon go, and only then did worry rise in his heart.

Yu Xiyue and Junyang naturally understood his concern as well.

“Where is your master?” Yu Xiyue suddenly asked.

“M-master?” Green Sandalwood grew uneasy. He could actually sense that his master was deliberately avoiding Yu Xiyue and Junyang, though he himself had no idea why.

“The old man is like a divine dragon whose head is seen but never its tail. How would I know?”

Yu Xiyue glanced at Green Sandalwood and saw through the lie at once.

“Why are you nervous?”

“N-no... not at all... heh...” But after saying it, Green Sandalwood only grew more nervous, especially when he caught Junyang’s devouring, scrutinizing gaze. At any moment, it seemed, he might be beaten.

“Do you still have any of your master’s demon power spheres?”

“Demon power spheres?” Green Sandalwood was puzzled. Why did Yu Xiyue suddenly want that?

Yu Xiyue said calmly, “Give one to the hawk demon. Tell him to crush it the moment he sees Hongchen, if possible. Your master will surely know how to deal with it.”

At once, Green Sandalwood understood. That demon power sphere could be used for marking; so long as the slightest trace of its scent touched someone, his master would be able to find them.

“Alright. I’ll go give it to him right now.”

Green Sandalwood rose and swiftly left the inn to look for the hawk demon.

Junyang, however, smiled as he glanced at his own little ancestor.

One arrow, two birds?

This way, not only would Hongchen be drawn out, but Xunyu as well.

Yu Xiyue looked at Junyang. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Junyang immediately wiped the smile from his face. “I was only thinking how wise you are, Little Ancestor.”

“Oh...”

Yu Xiyue did not think Xunyu would fall for it so easily. Green Sandalwood had taken the bait, but that did not mean Xunyu would act as Yu Xiyue wished.

Still, whether they met him now or not was of no great importance.

As for that wish concerning Xunyu, there was no rushing it.